“Mtn. Fever”

From our June ‘09 trip to Mount Rainier National Park.  (Check out our sister site, Take a Hike Northwest, for more.  Photo Gallery includes pix from September ‘09: Sunrise, Burroughs Mountain/Frozen Lake/Sunrise Rim Loop Trail, Naches Peak, Mazama Ridge, Reflection Lakes, Paradise, Trail of the Shadows….!):

Josiah at Ohanapecosh Site A-29

Pitchin’ camp – Ohana

“Home, sweet home”

LOTS of trees – and shade – at Silver Falls, Ohana

Silver Falls

Start of Skate Creek Road, Packwood. The alternate route to the west side (Longmire & Paradise).

Ohanapecosh River

If you can read this sign, you must have really, really good eyesight. It says: "Jeffrey's Morningstar." Early wildflowers at Paradise.

New Visitor Center @ Paradise!

Paradise (Yes, there's always this much snow in June. Paradise is a world record holder for annual snowfall. The two jacketed ladies in the background are from the U.K. We took their pictures on request.)

New Visitor Center @ Paradise

Interior of new Visitor Center @ Paradise (from 2nd floor book/gift store)

Ranger's/Info. desk - new visitor center.

Visitor Center Exhibits

Exhibits

Rainier dweller

"Above the treeline" - Paradise V.C.

Newly renovated, historic Paradise Inn (lobby). This Inn is 90+ years old. Lobby furniture was hand-crafted from Alaska Yellow Cedar which grows in abundance just down the Mountain from Paradise.

Lobby - Paradise Inn. The lobby has two huge stone fireplaces - one of the north end, another on the south.

Paradise Inn lobby

The “Old Girl” – from Paradise.

Where the old visitor center used to stand.

JVC remains – June 16, 2009

Demolition

Only a memory - Jackson Visitor Center, Paradise. June 2008.

Josiah – the Kid Who Loves to Hike (except for the walking part)

“Is this fun, or what?”

LOTS more fun than it looks!

But wait, there’s more!

“Okay, so whose idea was this, anyway?”

“Yeah, right.”

"Hoofin' it..." - Owyhigh Lakes Trail.

ANOTHER "bridge"?! Oh, joy.

"Well, I guess it beats swimming... in snow-melt..."

Waaaay beyond the lakes...

Canada's just around the next bend...

Ohanapecosh River... from the Owyhigh Trail

Tipsoo Lake - sort of

"I TOLD you there was a bit of fog at Chinook Pass." Across the street from Tipsoo Lake. June 17, 2009.

Strikin’ camp…

Viewpoint near Layser Cave, off the Crispus Area Loop. Cowlitz Valley behind.

“Here we go!”

Trail to Layser Cave

Cowlitz Valley (“Looks like Eden to me!”)

To the cave

Made it!

Inside Layser Cave (Did we bring any bread crumbs? Actually, it only goes back about 30 feet or so before the cave is blocked off.)

Looking out of Layser Cave.

“We are…. here!”

“On the road again…”

"Folow the yellow brick r...." oh, whatever. Any destination along the Cispus is emerald green!

Paradise Valley Road (more or less)

"TTFN!"

Click here for  photo recaps of hikes to Naches Peak (aka: “Haagen Dazs”), Frozen Lake, and our trip to the Mountain – where else? -  to mark our Silver Anniversary.

One of these days we may even get around to posting photos from our adventures in San Diego and Biola U., the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge (hey Jonalyn and Dale – remember the “damp” weather?!), our Easter trip to Port Angeles and Hurricane Ridge (northern portion of the Oly. Peninsula), Astoria, OR and Cape Disappointment (Lewis & Clark).  Also  Shiloh Bible Camp, Seattle and the Space Needle, Cabela’s and the “Wood Bee,” opening night at The Lion King, hiking Dungenness Wildlife Refuge, boulders and beach at Half Moon Bay …

But don’t hold your breath.